"Jap" is only considered derogatory in the USA and sometimes in Japan (there isn't that much awareness of the war, or human rights in Japan for the most people. In fact they refer to themselves, translated from the Japanese as "Yellow Race").

In the UK, "Jap" isn't considered rude as "Nip" was used in WW2 as a racial slur (short for "Nippon" or "Nipponjin"). Thus, you can easily find magazines, adverts etc with examples like "New USA, UK and Jap cars inside this issue!" etc.

In fact, "Oriental" is still used in the UK, as "Asian" usually refers to people ethnically from "India, Pakistan", etc (although the USA term "Asian" is also used, possibly due to use in USA films and other media "leaking" into the UK).

Yeah. Although I don't use the term myself I read "Jap" as short for Japanese and when used in that context or no context at all is just not offensive to me. It has no meaning other than an abbreviation.

Yeah. Although I don't use the term myself I read "Jap" as short for Japanese and when used in that context or no context at all is just not offensive to me. It has no meaning other than an abbreviation.

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Perhaps so but as a half Japanese raised in Japan, I can still firmly say that it's a pet peeve whenever it comes up and really wish that people wouldn't use it.

"Jap" is only considered derogatory in the USA and sometimes in Japan (there isn't that much awareness of the war, or human rights in Japan for the most people. In fact they refer to themselves, translated from the Japanese as "Yellow Race").

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"Yellow Race"? Um, no they don't. I have no idea where you're getting your sources from but after living 20+ years of my life in Japan, I can positively say that is not true.

But I've also noticed how a term for cigarette is widely used here; like on TV and magazines yet it is a completely offensive term to describe homosexuals in America.

I suppose its similar to that where a word is considered somewhat inoffensive in one country unless intentionally used in context to be an offensive slur but in another country is completely offensive whatever context its used in.